Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-18
DAILY HERALD.
DAILY HERALD.
$2,OOO,WO.
How That Sum Was EX-
posed to View.
A CHANCE FOR A ROBBER.
The Reason the State purchased
New Safe For The
Treasurer.
A CHANCE FOR A ROBBER.

Republican the Democrats made
blooded fight to gain control. They
put forward the late lamenteo Irwin
for Governor and j. G, Estudillo, now
of this city but then of San Diego, for
Treasurer 1t had been charged that
the Republicans had been guilty OF
great extravagance during the time
they held the reigns of state govern
ment and the Democrats made their
campaign on a reform basis. 1t was
the cry of erwin and Reform" in
California as it was "Tilden and Re-
form" throughout the United States.
Everybody knows the result. The
Democrats swept the State and
elected their ticket by handsome
majority. When the newly elected
Democratic officials reached Sacra-
mento they found that if there had
been extravaganza it had not been III
the form of luxuriously or even COM
fortably fitted up office. Everything
was tilreadbare and dilapidated. The
furniture in the different apartments
occupied as offices by the state otfic-
ials was in a terrible stage of decay
and it was evident that the large sums
of money appropriated by the Repub-
lican legislature had not gone to the
adornment of the state departments.
AN INsECusE SAFE.
In the State Treasurer's office there
stood an iron box, something like an
enlarged edition of Il dog kennel, III
which the funds of the state were sup
posed to be kept safe from the inroads
Of thieves. Mr.. Estudillo, the newly
elected Treasurer, gazed upon the So
called safe with much suspicion, and
Immediately asked the committees of
the two bodies of the legislature for a
new one. They said the safe was
good enough and that a reform ad-
ministration could not afford to buy a
new safe. The Treasurer had two
watchmen-one day and one night
man-and upon the honesty OF these
two men, and the thin iron walls ofthe
safe, did the state alone rely for the
security of its funds. Treasurer Es-
studillo never felt at ease particularly
as the lock and bolts of the safe had
been made by one Ensign, a clever
machinist, but man who had rep
utation of opening safes much more
easily than he made them secure.
Time passed on and one day the
Comptroller of the state, General
Manderville, died. That morning
Treasurer Estudillo went to open his
safe and he found that the lock and
bolts refused TO work. 1t was impos-
sible for him to enter the stronghold,
where the states wealth reposed.
EASILY OPENED.
The Treasurer was for a time nom
plussed. He finally sent for an old
iierman named Rave, leeksmith who
has the reputation of being splendid
workman, and OF whom it was said
that he could open any safe ever
made. Mynherr Rave came and Mr..
Estudillo asked him how long it
would take to open the safe. Rare
inspected the safe and said, with a
knowing wink, II can open it
by drilling in twentv-four hours. )"
Mr.. Estudillo told him to get his tools,
and while the worthy mechanic re-
turned to his shop, the Treasurer
placed an inscription on his door that
iae 6....;;55e would uoe closed for twenty
four hours. The German returned,
and in the presence of Mr.. Estudillo
vet to work on the safe with drill.
In Just thirteen minutes by the watch
he threw open the doors of the strong
box, and there on the floor of the vault
lay 81 200, 600 in good lawful money
Of the United States. Mr.. Estudillo
drew long breath as he thought OF
his one night watchman and realized
how easy it would have been for that
watchman to have stood in with some
locksmith: how easy it would have
been for them to have cracked the
safe early in the evening, and taking
the money, got at least fifteen hours
the start of the officers Of the law.
He called a messenger and dis
matched him at once for Governor
irwin. The Governor came, and
when he saw the wealth disrl.,Jed on
the floor of the safe and was told how
easily it had been got to, he turned as
pale as a sheet and started for the
Legislative halls, where the two
houses were in session. One by one
he brought the members OF the Ways
and Means Committee of the Senate
and Assembly to the Treasurer's office
and explained the situation to them.
They took it in thoroughly and held a
Joint meeting in the presence OF
the revealed riches, at which they
unanimously instructed Treasurer
Estudillo to contract for such safe as
he thought would provide security for
1he States surplus funds. The Treas
urer lost no time in ordering a Hall
safe at cost Of 5000.
MORE REFORM.
As before stated, the apartments OF
fI,e officers were in a fearful condition,
and Treasurer Estudillo felt ashamed
to receive his visitors from Southern
California in his office. So, one day
he coolly made out requistion on
the Secretary of State for " 900, to be
nsed in repairing his offices and pro
yiding proper furniture. Thomas
Beck, of San Francisco, who was Sec
retary of State, looked at the requisi
ton in holy horror, and said "Estu
stillO, do you expect to run again =
Mr.. Estodillo said that it was almos
TOO soon to consider that question, a
ase had nearly four years to serve
Heck said "Well, if you do, thi'
will kill you dead. You must re
member that you were elected on a re
form platform. Estudillo said: "Al
right while | am here | am going L
have decent place to hold forth in ant
"A place to entertain my friends iron
Southern California comfortably whei
they come here. You 90 ahead ant
honor the requisition." Beck did SO
and in a short time the Treasurer
,,t6,e was transformed from dingy